1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tools generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel apparatus for ejecting nuts from wrench sockets and a method for installing such apparatus in existing wrench sockets.
2. Background Art.
A common problem with using wrench sockets to remove threaded nuts from threaded studs and other threaded members is that the nuts often become stuck in the socket during the removal process. This is especially true when an impact wrench is being used, due to the high forces involved.
A number of attempts have been made to provide devices for ejecting such nuts.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,607,421, issued Nov. 16, 1926, to Work, describes a magazine wrench having a brace attached to one end of an elongate magazine. At the working end of the magazine there is a retainer to keep loose nuts in the magazine from falling out of the working end. A spring extending interiorly of the magazine has one end soldered or otherwise attached to the brace end of the wrench and to a follower at the other end thereof. When the retainer at the working end is released, the nuts are expelled from the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,301,945, issued Nov. 17, 1942, to Green, describes a socket wrench having a magazine in the handle for the storage of sockets and having leaf springs in the sockets thereof for retaining therein screw-bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,488,894, issued Nov. 22, 1949, to Barrett, describes a socket wrench with a nut ejector. The socket of the wrench has conventional shank receiving and nut receiving portions at opposite ends thereof. Intermediate the shank and nut receiving portions is an axially extending chamber into which a cage is pressed. A spring biased plunger axially moveable within the cage ejects nuts from the nut receiving portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,493,398, issued Jan. 3, 1950, to Fricke, describes a magazine-type lug nut wrench similar in pertinent respects to the '421 patent above.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,229, issued Sep. 8, 1953, to Lenz, describes a combined socket wrench and nut ejector in which a plunger, extending into a nut receiving portion of the body, and a shank portion are joined by an intermediate stem, all arranged for axial movement within an elongate body member. A coil spring disposed around the stem is compressed between a stop in the body and the inner end of the shank portion so as to urge the plunger into the body member. When a nut is unscrewed and is stuck in the nut receiving portion of the body, the body is manually pulled toward the shank end and the plunger ejects the nut from the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,657, issued Aug. 20, 1985, to Farris, describes a socket wrench with a nut ejector, the socket being based on a conventional socket and having shank receiving and nut receiving portions at opposite ends thereof with an intermediate bore extending therebetween. A hollow sleeve is fitted within the bore for axial movement with respect thereto and a necked nut ejector formed as an extension of the sleeve is extendable into the nut receiving portion. An internally circumferential groove is cut into the intermediate bore near the nut receiving portion into which groove is installed a C-shaped retainer to prevent the sleeve from exiting the bore. A helical spring disposed internally of the sleeve and extending between the shank portion of the socket and a shoulder formed at the internal end of the necked nut ejector biases the nut ejector into the nut receiving portion to eject nuts therefrom.
None of the above ejecting devices can be easily retrofitted to existing wrench sockets. All of the above devices, except the last, require specially manufactured sockets and the last device requires a specially manufactured socket to the extent that an internal groove must be cut on an engine lathe and some sort of fixture must be used to assist the difficult maneuver of assembling the device and inserting the C-shaped retainer. All are relatively expensive to provide.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a nut ejecting apparatus which can easily be easily installed in existing wrench sockets.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a nut ejecting apparatus which is simple and inexpensive to provide.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.